Miho Takagi (JPN) set an immaculate 1500m World Cup streak so far this season. The 23-year-old Japanese skater is the woman to beat when it comes to the middle distance this season, but the competition is tough.
Sven Kramer (NED) has re-written the history books of Speed Skating again. The 31-year-old Dutchman skated a new Olympic record in 6:09.76, to become the first speed skater to win three consecutive Olympic 5000m titles.
Team Canada strengthened their lead as Olympic Athletes from Russia jumped from fourth to second place on day two of the Figure Skating team event at PyeongChang 2018.
From a phone call in early 2017 to an Olympic title in February 2018. Carlijn Achtereekte’s (NED) 3000m gold was unexpected, but the Dutch skater had a plan and stuck to it. After having swapped from team to team for several years, Achtereekte felt that she had never lived up to her real potential and she decided to call Jac Orie (NED), coach of the successful trade team of, among others, Sven Kramer (NED).
Ted-Jan Bloemen (CAN) broke Sven Kramer’s (NED) 5000m world record in Salt Lake City (USA) last December, to set up a great Olympic rivalry for the long distances in men’s Speed Skating. On Sunday February 11th it’s showdown in the PyeongChang 5000m race.
The atmosphere in the Gangneung Ice Arena for the Men’s 1500m final was electric. The race made Olympic history with nine finalists. Hyojun Lim (KOR) took advantage of the home crowd’s cheering to go get gold in a new Olympic Record time of 2:10.485.
The Netherlands grabbed the first three long track Speed Skating medals of PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Games, sweeping the podium in the ladies’ 3000m.
The Olympic Cauldron was lit by 2010 Olympic gold medalist and Korean super star Figure Skater Kim Yuna on Friday marking the start of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
Coveted as Korea’s favorite winter sport, the Short Track Speed Skating competition will “go to the start” today. The action-packed day includes the Ladies’ 500m qualifying heats (final on February 13) and the Ladies’ 3000m Relay qualifying heats (final on February 20) but the highlight of the day will be the Men’s 1500m final.
Team Canada confirmed their role as favorites as the figure skating competition at the XXIII Olympic Winter Games opened with the Men’s and Pairs Short Programs of the team event.
The Speed Skating tournament at PyeongChang 2018 starts with an exciting clash of generations in the ladies’ 3000m. 31-year-old Ireen Wüst (NED) and 30-year-old Martina Sáblíková (CZE) shared the past three Olympic 3000m gold medals between them. Wüst won in Torino 2006, Sáblíková in Vancouver 2010 and in Sochi 2014 it was Wüst again, but this season Miho Takagi (JPN) and Antoinette de Jong (NED) knocked on the door.
Athletes from all around the world will compete at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games and each one has a story to tell. Five inline prodigies who recently switched to Speed Skating with an ISU Development Transition program, qualified for PyeongChang 2018.
In a prelude to the Olympic Speed Skating season Joey Mantia (USA) won last year’s World Mass Start title at the Gangneung Oval in South Korea. It was his first world title on ice, but the Florida born athlete already won multiple world titles in inline skating before he turned to the ice in 2011.
The Figure Skating competition at the XXIII Olympic Winter Games will kick off on February 9 just before the Opening Ceremony, with the exciting team event. In each team, one Lady, one Man, one Pair Skating and one Ice Dance Couple compete in the Short and/or Free Skating.
The International Skating Union is happy to introduce its special correspondents for the XXIII Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.